Texts sent to Tennessee girl prior to death surface at trial

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A series of texts sent to a 16-year-old Tennessee girl two nights before she was shot to death in her bed have surfaced in the trial of her former boyfriend.

Prosecutors contend the texts were part of a plan by former Division III college football player William Riley Gaul to lure Emma Walker outside a house where she was visiting friends in November 2016. The now-19-year-old Gaul is on trial on charges including first-degree murder and especially aggravated stalking.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Zach Greene testified Wednesday that Walker pulled him aside and showed him the texts.

The anonymous texts indicated somebody Walker knew was being held. Gaul was found lying in a ditch and later admitted he made up a story about being kidnapped.